broadband

Google has acquired more than 50 patents from Magnolia Broadband, a company focused on improving scalability and capacity across the mobile space.

According to Magnolia, the patents come from its Mobile Transmit Diversity portfolio, which includes a host of technologies related to increasing mobile network capacity, expanding coverage, improving uplink transmission speeds, and increasing a device's battery life.

The terms of the deal have not been disclosed.

According to Magnolia CEO Osmo Hautanen, the software Google's newly acquired patents relate to can be "embedded into any mobile broadband device." The software is sold to mobile device … Read more

Lenovo ThinkPad users who need 3G access can now get it without having to cough up money for a lengthy contract.

Available starting today, Lenovo Mobile Access is a service built into select ThinkPad Classic and ThinkPad Edge laptops for customers in the U.S. and parts of Europe. The service is geared for customers who may need mobile broadband access from time to time but don't want to be saddled with expensive monthly fees.

Lenovo ThinkPad owners can buy a "Time Pass" costing just $1.95 for 30 minutes of access allowing 30MB of data, or $… Read more

DALLAS--A Verizon executive confirmed today that prices will go up soon for Verizon's newly announced tiers of Fios broadband service. But more flexibility in the bundles that include Verizon Fios video service may actually result in some Verizon Fios subscribers paying less each month.

In an interview at the Telecommunications Industry Association's trade show here, Verizon's Chief Marketing Officer Mike Ritter confirmed that the company will be raising prices on the newly upgraded broadband services. Verizon announced last week that it is doubling the speed of its Fios high-speed broadband service. The company's fastest speed Internet … Read more

BOSTON -- Is Netflix a friend or foe to the traditional cable TV companies? Cox Communications CEO Patrick Esser says it's a "frenemy."

There's no question that Netflix and other over-the-top Internet-based video services have shaken things up for traditional TV distributors and content owners. But is Netflix destroying the cable industry's business model?

Cox's Esser acknowledged today during a panel discussion here at the National Cable and Telecommunications Association's Cable Show that there are times when Netflix may compete for an audience with cable TV providers. But as a broadband provider, he … Read more

BOSTON--Verizon Wireless CEO Dan Mead announced a new service platform that will make finding and viewing video on mobile devices easier.

Mead described the new video service called Viewdini as a portal that will aggregate and deliver mobile content to a variety of devices. Comcast's Xfinity service is the first to partner with Verizon. Mead and Comcast's CEO Neil Smit were on a panel at the National Cable and Telecommunications Association's Cable Show here today, where the announcement was made.

Other partners at the launch of Viewdini include: Hulu Plus, mSpot, and Netflix.

The way it works … Read more

BOSTON -- Discovery Communications CEO David Zaslav warned Dish Network that it's playing with fire when it comes to a new commercial hopping DVR technology.

During a panel here at the National Cable and Telecommunications Association's annual tradeshow, Zaslav told CNN's Erin Burnett that the new feature Dish Network introduced recently on its Hopper DVR, which skips advertising during shows that are recorded from broadcast TV, could disrupt the industry in a negative way. He said the model is unsustainable since program owners need the advertising revenue to help cover the cost of their shows.

Dish co-founder … Read more

Broadband data caps were a hot topic this week as Comcast and Verizon Wireless separately talked up upcoming changes to their policies. So how will these data cap tweaks affect consumers?

In short, Comcast's move, which increases its existing cap from 250GB to 300GB and now imposes an overage fee for those who exceed the cap, is likely a positive for its subscribers. Even the consumer advocates who typically hate the idea of data caps applauded the company for improving the policy. Meanwhile, Verizon's new plan, which will force existing subscribers "grandfathered" on its unlimited data … Read more

Comcast, the largest cable TV and Internet broadband provider in the U.S., is changing its data cap policy on its broadband service to encourage its customers to use its service without worrying about how much data they are consuming.

Today, the company announced in a blog post that it will soon begin testing a new pricing model for customers who use an "excessive" amount of data each month. In these markets, the company will increase the cap, which is now 250GB per month, to 300GB per month. And when customers exceed this cap, the company will charge … Read more

One can only imagine the gasps. And perhaps even a guffaw.

According to Australia's News.com, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak was addressing a business forum in Perth when he made a stark admission.

"I don't have broadband at my home," he said. In case the Australians hadn't heard, understood, or were merely in a state of catatonia, he added: "I, Steve Wozniak, don't have broadband at my home."

He went on to explain that broadband in his little part of Los Gatos, Calif., is "a monopoly." You have to get … Read more